Way-too-early Cincinnati Reds 2023 Opening Day roster predictions

Cincinnati Reds 2023 Opening Day bullpen (8)

Alexis Diaz (RHP), Lucas Sims (RHP), Tony Santillan (RHP), Reiver Sanmartin (LHP), Tejay Antone (RHP), Jeff Hoffman (RHP), Ian Gibaut (RHP), Buck Farmer (RHP)

The Cincinnati Reds bullpen has a chance to be much better in 2023 simply because the relief corps endured so many injuries last season. The one thing Cincinnati fans can count on, however, is that Alexis Diaz will be the team's closer. Perhaps he'll adopt a new entrance music similar to his brother Edwin.

Looking a those pitchers who ended the season on the 60-day IL, the Reds will be tickled to have Tejay Antone, Tony Santillan, Lucas Sims, and Jeff Hoffman all back in fold for the 2023 season. Three of the four are up for arbitration during the offseason, but Antone, Sims, and Hoffman are all likely to be tendered contracts.

When it comes to left-handed relief, the Reds lost Justin Wilson early this past season, and never really found a suitable replacement. Reiver Sanmartin performed well after being removed from the starting rotation, and the fanbase should assume that the lefty will be back in 2023.

Rounding out the bullpen could be a pair of right-handers in Ian Gibaut and Buck Farmer. Gibaut came over from the Cleveland Guardians mid-season, and had his moments as a solid middle reliever for the Reds in 2022. Farmer, after a trip back to Triple-A, performed very well down the stretch for the Redlegs.

Cincinnati Reds General Manager Nick Krall didn't paint a rosy picture in terms of what next year's roster is going to look like. In fact, it'll probably be a lot of the same heading into Goodyear next season. Free agency will certainly being a few new faces to the franchise next season, but we'll have to wait and see how that develops in the coming weeks.